Freaky Fred
by L. L. Shrum
Summary: This is the life of Freaky Fred. Who is he and what will he become now that he is away from HER. *If you have not read The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner there are spoilers*
1. Chapter 1

After reading The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner, I was intrigued by the character Freaky Fred. I wondered how he was and is. As my head filled with the story of Fred I began to write his story once him and Bree departed. Hope you all enjoy. And lastly please excuse my grammar and spelling errors as that is not my strongest area.

The deep green forest swirled about me. It was clean and refreshing, after being couped up with so many vampires. I inhaled just to taste the forest around me. The deep woodsy smells of the moss, damp dirt, bark, flowers sprinkled here and there, the ancient rocks and boulders. It was clean and moist but, not moist like the humans. No they were a mouth watering, throat burning, delicious wet. Nothing here could compare to that. I had smelled a near by bear. I heard his heart beat thrum in his chest a ways off. To entrenched in his forging to realize that the wind was more than that. It was something so fierce that he would be dead with in seconds if I wanted. But despite the thrumming of his heart, and the moist scent of his blood, I wouldn't touch that not with the city so close, not unless my life depended on it. The humans were so much more appealing. No this bear was nothing more than empty snack, flavorless, and unappealing.

The forest was freeing as flew through it. Running so fast I was just a blur, yet I could see every small detail as darted in and out of the trees. Every streak color, how each leaf was not quite the same as the last. I could see so clearly, it was almost as though I could make out the chlorophyll of the leaves shining in the sun. The sun that managed to find its way down to the forest floor. It was breath taking, if that were even something I even had to do besides to taste and smell everything around me. This place, no this body was so freeing. I would never tire. I could keep running if I choose, never having slow, and I will feel just as restless as I did in this moment. The freedom was intoxicating. I choked out a a laugh with this new feeling.

Even, when the flames of the transformation had faded and I could feel my new body for the first time I didn't feel so free. No, this was different. I was free from all the mindless drones in the basement. There was no Riley, there were no rules now. Just myself, alone with myself. Just the way I liked it. Even as a human I preferred the loneliness. I could see that much in the hazy thoughts of my human self. I was not made for the life of living with many. I preferred the solitary moments of my life. Or was it this talent of mine that made me feel that way? No, I decided it was what I wanted. Is that why I had this talent? Could my mind decide so firmly on something that I could make it a reality? Either way, at this point I didn't really care it had given me my freedom.

Yet, flying through the forest, my thoughts continued to flicker back to the scene I was now fleeing. Though my heart had now been dead for the last several months, it still some how seemed to ache for the young one named Bree. Part of me knew that she would never be meeting me. But wishing she had followed me and not that monster Riley was only wishful thinking now. How I could have protected her, as I did these last three months.

Unlike the rest of them I had the certain advantages to let me see clearly, I thought wryly. Freaky Fred, they had called me. They found themselves completely revolted by me, as though I were so monstrous, so hideous that they can could not bare to look at me with their new clear and precise eyes. Unlike the rest, I was special. I had the ability to become invisible of sorts. Invisible in the sense that a bum on the side of the street was invisible. If you touched him, somehow his bad situation would leech on to you, and claim you to the streets too. If any of them had the stomach to look they would have seen the truth. The truth was I was every bit as beautiful as them, if not a few "years" older than the rest of them. Years, in the terms of human age, but for the most part I was just a young as them. I was a young vampire, strong and wild like them all. Maybe it was the age in which I had been transformed that let me think more clearly than the rest of them. They all seemed to be stuck in the state of maturity in which they were, when they had been given this new life. Squabbling like children over their play things and food. Albeit, it was entertaining at times, but mostly it was just wearing to be around it day and night.

Thinking of the day made me look down at myself, still marveling at the way my skin glittered in the sun. Every inch of my skin seemed to transform into the millions of tiny prisms, reflecting the light. I had noticed the slight glow the full moon had casted on us, but I was really too focused on the meal to really stop and examine. Maybe I should I have. Maybe then I would have known that the whole poof into flames thing was just a lie. Well at least it was a lie when the sun had hit us. We were quite the flammable creatures.

I had mused at vampire stories that I drudged up from the murky memories of my human life. Counting in my head I had thought of the all things I could remember about vampires. We were creatures of the night, burned by the sun if we should be touched by it. I was smart enough to know there was no one day, ever, that the sun's rays would be indirect. Riley had fed them that one well, counting on the fact that their thirst could override their more expansive vampire minds. He took that gamble and won. Perhaps it wasn't the thirst but the overwhelming fear of the sun he had instilled in us all from day one. In fact I was with them all plastered to wall in horror. If it hadn't been for the small vampire Bree, I would have continued to be stuck to that wall right now. But if the burning in the sun was a lie what else was?

Immediately, my mind raced to the memory of some movie where the scary vampire fled the scene as a bat. The thought made me smile. No we certainly could not turn into bats. Would that flying feel better than this type of flying. No running was flying, or as close to it as I could get. Well if I couldn't turn into a bat, what else was lies? Crosses were out. I definitely touch a few when I perched myself along the roof tops waiting for a sorry bum to eat. They weren't the type of humans that would be missed, making the perfect meal. Aside from the bitter taste of the alcohol that usually accompanied them.

Hmm, bitter taste, I guess that counted out garlic. I had a few humans full of bad Italian. The kind that was saturated in garlic. It seemed to seep into the blood stream. It wasn't my favorite way to marinate a human, but it was sure better than the drugs and alcohol the humans seemed to want to drowned themselves in. No, clean healthy blood was the best. I mused at the thought of stealing blood from an hospital or blood bank. I was sure it would be delightfully clean. But where was the fun in that? No hunt, no prey. Not that, that was much of a challenge, but the thrill of finding them and sneaking up on them was another thing entirely.

Sleep, I couldn't do that and especially not in a coffin, not that basements weren't close enough. I guess the myths were just that myths. Were they their to protect us or the humans? It was an interesting thought. There had to be more of us out there. But how many? Certainly enough to warrant creating an armory like _she _and Riley had, I thought with a shudder.

There must be a reason that the humans only cast us as parts in the movies and books. They didn't know about us, surely if they did they wouldn't waste their time creating movies of us. And definitely not movies that were so far off base to what we really were. Yes, we were monsters. But, the movies never made us out to be the real monsters that we were. The movies, made us seductive creatures ruled by our lust. True our thirst seemed to rule us, but it appeared with age we could push it aside as our main motivating factor. And I know I had certainly never tried to seduce some young girl into following me. No, I was a thing of fright, but they never seemed to have more than a few seconds of fright. Never long enough to even let out a scream of fright. It was always caught in a gurgle as the hot, steaming, blood trickled down my throat. Making me shiver in delight as it warmed my cold hard body, spreading warmth through out me. And in seconds was over, and no matter how many I feasted on the venom always burned for more.

I was sure the majority of us were real monsters, just as _she_ had been. I was glad I had the talents that I did. Able to just walk away and no one would notice. I was a little saddened by the fact that Bree wouldn't be following me. Despite my yearn to be alone, I had grown used to the accompaniment of another. If I could choose someone to spend all of eternity with, it would be someone like her. She was quiet, never made demands. She had just been happy to exist, to co-exist with me, with out the expectations. Part me held out that she would still make it in time.

I slowed down as I made my way close to the city. Then I stopped to ponder a thought. I was a glittering disco ball. I was bound to catch the attention of the humans. And I was sure that attention of the humans was not something I was supposed to garner. Hmm, I had told her that I would meet her in the park. But I couldn't just sit there on the park bench. No I would stick to the shadows like the vampire I was.


	2. Chapter 2

Soon enough the sun began to set, and I could emerge from the shadows in search of a light snack. Yet, just underneath the burning thirst, my mind yearned for knowledge. My ming being able to wrap around both thoughts it was hard to think clearly, despite that clarity, over the thirst. Gliding into Seattle I wandered the more hip parts of town. In my time with Riley, my food source was too often saturated in the awful taste of drugs and alcohol. I was really looking forward to life on my own terms.

Humans were stupid and dense creatures. That much I had gathered in this new life. A large wild coven of twenty something fresh young vampires, was simply a rampaging gang activity of new proportions. I figured on my own, I could roam about, taking my meals on the move and nothing more than the usual gruesome demented killer would be suspect. If only they knew how pathetic their little human killers were. No I was a _real_ killer, their worst nightmares couldn't touch me.

Halted in that train of thought, I caught sent of delicious sweet scent. Not like the one on the red shirt, that was sweet like a floral sweet. No this was like cotton candy sweet, a real desert. This was a scent that made my mouth burn, setting my whole throat into flames. Inhaling deeply, I let the sweet taste engulf me letting me transform into the monster, the hunter. Within the second I shed every pretense of humanity and surrendered to the animal in me.

Clinging to the shadows of the alleyway I sat in wait of my prey. Instinctively I crouched down, becoming hyper aware of everything around me. I could feel the pores of the brick underneath my hands. The quiet humming of the flies several feet away from me forging in the dumpster. I could smell the disgusting human food frying away. As the patrons munched and chewed like cows on their greasy fast food. I could hear children bickering with their parents, the old folks mumbling about their aches and pains, maybe I should eat them. Would they taste like a vintage wine or all those drugs they guzzled down every few hours? Leaving that thought behind I moved on to hear a few guys flirting shamelessly with some girls. But then the squealing utterances of a group of teen girls caught my ear.

"Oh Shana, I don't know what your talking about the guy that played the vampire was just to die for!" the girl squealed.

"You always fall the mysterious type Tammy," the other girl laughed.

"Oh your always such the Debbie Downer," the first girl, Tammy, complained. "Just admit if Vampires were real you would want to be one too!"

With a hint sarcasm, the second girl Shana answered, "Yes, maybe being a Vampire would be to _die_ for!"

Her other friends were amused and joined in chortling with laughter.

All the while I followed the scent, only to find it mingling in the air with the awful burger scent that wafted out each time someone opened the door to the restaurant. A low snarl ripped through me realizing I would have to wait for who ever it was to exit. My nails dug into the wall, creating deep dents, showering the pavement in a fine red dust.

Spending the few seconds it took me I went through my options. I could walk away now and find something quicker. Or, I could wait and have my patience rewarded with sweet blood. With the way that the scent was intoxicating I figured I could wait for them to emerge. I wasn't sure I could go through forever and not find a blood so tempting again. But the longer I waited, the more my instincts overwhelmed me to charge in there and drink every last one of them, leaving that sweet treat for last. No, I fought with myself there was a reason vampires didn't just tear through cities anytime they felt. The logic part of my mind warred with my primal side at this notion. Of all the things Riley fed us, the not letting humans know made the most sense. Surely if the humans were to know we were real then somewhere in my murky human memories I would have known to run away from Riley. Not that would have done much good.

While my head thought through the importance of keeping myself a secret, my head wiped up as the scent now saturated the air in a gust of wind. Cringing deeper into the shadows, trying to mold myself into the wall. And with a creak I realized I was doing just that, if I didn't stop now there would be a perfect imprint of my body. Hovering millimeters above the wall, I crouched down deep waiting to pounce. Balancing on the balls of my feet I flexed my calves while I waited for the slow human to come across the alley way. I could hear the giggling girls had left the restaurant and were about to walk by. That's when the scent hit me in full force. She one of that pack of giggling hyenas. Crap! One was just a small little murder, two was still okay I guessed but five of them? I wasn't so sure.

Quickly I tried to hold my breathe but it was too late, the air was already saturated by her. Bounding up from my crouch I launched up myself up on to the roof, inhaling the mostly unsaturated air to clear my head. Nearly running on air as I followed the giggling chatter of the girls below, oblivious to the monster following them above. I could hear every giggle and every useless errant thought they let bubble through their lips.

"Crap! Guys I left my jacket in the restaurant," cried out one of the girls.

"Ah, Lizzie!" cried out the girls in unison. Peeking over the ledge I could see them groaning as they turned around back toward the restaurant.

"No, no, keep going and I'll catch up," she waved them back. My lips curled up into a smile as my luck changed. Bounding back I followed off after her. I let her enter the restaurant as waited once again for the cotton candy scent that wafted off her. I heard her light hurried foot step approach me again.

This time I didn't hesitate as I coiled into the familiar crouch and sprang at her. Placing one hand over her mouth in an iron clad grasp. I heard her jaw crack under the weight, spreading the lovely warmth of pain under my cold stone hands. While my other arm crushed her waist as I forced her into my body. Her body was so deliciously warm against me. Feeling her pulse against my still body was exhilarating, just begging me to bite down and drink. Inhaling deeply I ran my cheek against her neck up her jaw line and back down to her neck again. Her body became ridged in fright as she uncontrollably responded to my touch in a flood of goose bumps. I sensed her looking at me trying to twist from my grasp on her. Reaffirming my grasp on her I straightened her out.

"Uh, uh," I purred. "My momma said never to play with my food."

Growling in delight I licked her neck before going in for the kill I shuddered as I heard the tear of the girl's skin. It was a soft, wet, moist sound of a tear. Shock taking over she went limp in my hands as began to drink deep from her frail little body. It was only the matter of a few seconds in which it all happened and I could hear the mob of girls about to pass by me and my meal. Quietly I began to back away from the light. But in pursuit of my prize, my honed in vision, I had somehow missed the glass bottle at her feet. I hissed in anger, but it was too late. At that moment, the girls had passed by my alley way. One of them hearing the bottle fall looked and took in the sight of me clutching my prey. No sooner had it happened she let loose one of those blood curdling screams you only heard in the movies. Before the rest could turn to see me I had dragged us behind the dumpster.

"Oh em gee! Someone has Lizzie!" she screeched.

"Stop being such a drama queen Tammy," sighed one of the girls.

"No I swear! Someone has Lizzie," I could hear her tugging on someone's sleeve. Quickly I worked to gulp down my meal. As I tried I could hear one them digging around in their purse. Followed by the uncapping of something. Internally I groaned. _Why couldn't they just go away?_ I spied a faint glow come down the alley way while a canister was being shook. I heard the faint hiss of a canister, followed by the scent of mace. _Really a group of four girls, armed with a cell phone light and a can of mace? What was the matter with kids these days, scampering off into dark ally ways after some bad guy with nothing but mace to protect them..._

I had nearly drained the girl, so I let her go and flew up and over the building side. I raced over the roof tops, putting distance between them and me. Within a few moments I heard the young terrified screams echo after me. No doubt they had found her body.

Now that I had a sweet snack, it was time to fulfill that other nagging thought I was having. What was I? Did those human myths hold any weight? It was time for a little light night research.


End file.
